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63
CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO HONG KONG
(D.T.D.)
TELNO 1840 6 SEPTEMBER, 1967
(HWB)
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FOLLOWING FROM GALSWORTHY.
(62)
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 1328: COMMUNIST PRESS.
WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THE FOREIGN OFFICE AT OFFICIAL LEVEL YOUR PROPOSAL TO PROMULGATE EMERGENCY REGULATIONS TO DEAL WITH THE PRODUCTION OF QUOTE MOSQUITO BROAD SHEETS UNQUOTE. WE ARE ALL AGREED THAT THESE MUST BE STOPPED IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, BUT FEEL THAT WE MUST PUT THE MATTER TO MINISTERS. THIS WE CAN DO QUITE QUICKLY BUT WOULD FIRST LIKE YOUR REACTIONS ON THE FOLLOWING
POINTS.
2. THERE SEEM TO BE TWO CHOICES OPEN TO US:-
(A) TO INTRODUCE EMERGENCY REGULATIONS GIVING POWERS TO DEAL ONLY WITH THE QUOTE BROAD SHEETS UNQUOTE:
(B) TO INTRODUCE COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY REGULATIONS GIVING FULL
POWERS TO DEAL WITH THE PRESS GENERALLY.
3. THE TAKING OF ANY POWERS TO DEAL WITH THE PRESS WILL, IT IS THOUGHT, PRODUCE A REACTION IN PEKING (ALTHOUGH WE THINK THAT THE REACTION WILL BE STRONGER WHEN THE POWERS ARE USED). THIS IS
PERHAPS AN ARGUMENT FOR TAKING ALL THE POWERS YOU WILL NEED TO
DEAL WITH THE PRESS AT ONE GO. AN ADDITIONAL ARGUMENT FOR
TAKING COMPREHENSIVE POWERS IS THE POSSIBLE DETERRENT EFFECT
ON OTHER SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNIST PRESS. ON THE OTHER HAND,
THERE IS A DANGER THAT TO TAKE THE FULL POWERS NOW WILL BRING THE
QUESTION OF ACTION AGAINST C. P. G. NEWSPAPERS THAT MUCH NEARER:
IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO RESIST THE CRITICISM AND TAUNT THAT YOU
/ HAVE THE
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